Feminine Mystique

The Postwar effects on Women The “feminine mystique” that American culture promotes is entirely dependent upon its ideas, beliefs, and needs of the time. American culture has always tended to influence women into doing what the day and age required. After men went to war there was a gap in the work force that needed to be filled. During World War II women were the most available to join the work force. Due to the …

…as WWI, the return of peace meant that “women faced layoffs, renewed wage discrimination, and segregation into female-only jobs” (307). The media of the 50’s and 60’s continued to portray women as housewives and mothers. The media has always influenced people’s ideas and values, whether it was a wartime poster of Rosie or a magazine article depicting sweet, submissive housewives, or a TV show with June Cleaver taking care of the boys and her home.